Recently while driving, stopped at a traffic light on a Houston street behind a large truck, I was surprised to be completely engulfed by a plume of dark black, smelly smoke from the vehicle when it pulled from the light.

I was reminded of the campaign of longtime Houston City Council Member Johnny Goyen to rid Houston's freeways of vehicles burping out unacceptable emissions.

This excerpt was from a meeting of Houston City Council in 1972. City Secretary Anna Russell brought a letter to the table from Police Chief Herman Short in response to Goyen's complaint. Listen: MP3RealPlayer

Short contended that his officers were doing the best they could without taking them away from other duties.

"I'm afraid that the chief doesn't understand really what I'm talking about," Goyen said. "I'm not talking about roadblocks. I'm not talking about every freeway being manned with a group of officers to take them off other duties as stated in the letter."

Goyen said he only wanted the police officers on duty to stop and ticket, or issue warnings, to obvious violators.

"Every day, including this morning on the way to work, in a six and a half mile area I saw five trucks that are improperly maintained, blowing black smoke everywhere," Goyen said.